“Quiet them tukata down, Maude! They're squalin' like they ain't et in weeks.” Tukata farming was tough work, but someone had to feed the Empire and Jessum took pride in it. All of the simple Glastos folk did, but some days, just some days, he wished he were force sensitive so he could crush those whining buggers with rocks, or lightning. Lightning would be better then they wouldn't go to waste. “MAUDE! My heads a pounding enough as it is! What is they're problem?”

“It ain't the tukata, Jess! It's a baby!” The middle aged women knelt down in the mud of the tukata pen and picked up the little orange ball of horns and limbs. “Oh Jess, she's so pretty!”

“Ug! Another one? Do we look like a monastery now?”

“Well we are the closest farm to the Glaston Shrine,” Maude shrugged, “Either that or they were hoping these boars would eat the poor little thing.”

“Hey now there's an idea! Might save on some feed...”

“JESSUM TUKE! We can't do that, and you know it.”

“Well we could and besides I already said we could keep the pink one,” Maude's glare quelled the poor farmer and any ideas of offering up his farm for unwanted babyfeed. “Alright, alright fine! How do you propose we raise this one?” He still felt horrible that their own child had been stillborn, and was almost grateful for the distraction that the first zabrak had been but two, Oi! How were these things getting on his farm anyhow?

“His. Name. Is. Mauve. And this pretty little thing is,” she caressed the baby's orange cheek, “Mango. Besides he's almost weened anyhow I should still have plenty left for this one. And look at her hands, whoa!” The hands were oversized, and looked almost comical on something so small. The grasping things where now grabbing for boob as hungry babies were want to do. “There you go precious. With hands like these you just know she'll grow up big and strong. They both will! They will help with the farm in a few years, you'll see.”

******************

“They ain't pets, Mango!”

“Aw! But pa, they're so cyute! Do we have to eat 'em?”

“Yes. Now come over here and help me heard them, they listen to you better'n me.”

“Okay.” She spent the rest of the day helping with the slaughter which was not as unpleasant as it might seem. Cute as they were tukata do taste good. She was only 8 and already as tall as her human father, and almost as strong. How such a slight man managed to raise such beasts was always curious.

“Well that's done, good work, Mango. You can have the first pick of the jerky this year.”

“Hooray!”

“And tell that slacker brother of yours that he can have a beating for running off on slaughter day.”

That was odd, he usually enjoyed slaughter day, Mango hoped he was alright but she hadn't seen Mauve all day. She hoped he was alright. “He's not my brother, pa! You said we was 'dopted.”

“He's close enough! Now you tell him. He's snuck off too many times lately and it's time he get his. I'm heading back to the house; You don't harass tha rest o' tha herd. They're frightened enough as it is.”

“I'm pretty?”

“Yes, you are.” Jessum knew he couldn't drag his little girl away from the beasts so he ruffled her hair and left. She had done good so she earned it. He brought his hand to his mouth and nursed the tiny puncture mark in his palm. She really was growing up.

Shortly after, “Psst, Mango!”

“Huh?” Mango looked around confused. “Is that you Ol' Bitey?” She addressed the hoary old boar they kept for stud as she skipped over to it. She happily announced, “I'm pretty! And so are you!”

“Mango up here!” Mauve swung down out of the rafters to land on the back of the poor creature. It merely grunted and went back to eating.

Mauve's face went petulant, “He's not our, Pa, but nevermind, I wanted to give you this.” Grinning, he pulled a mottled egg out of the rucksack he had tossed over his shirtless back. “It's a veractyl's!”

“OooooOOOoooo! Can I keep it?”

“Uh huh. I think you just need to sit on it to keep it warm or something. I wanted to show you something else too!”

“Mauve! I've already seen that like a million times. We take baths together remember?”

“No not that! This!” He hopped straight out of the pen from the boar's back and knelt down. “Watch this rock.” He put his hand out, and beads of sweat started dripping down his brow, then the rock moved.

Mango squealed with delight. “That was so pretty! How did you do that?”

Mauve's tiny chest puffed out with pride and his grin covered his entire face. “Like this!” This time it was a little easier.

“Oooh! Let me try!”

“You can't do it! You're too stupid.”

“Am not!” Mango stomped her foot and put her hand out, staring hard at the rock. Mauve started laughing when it did not move. She tried again harder this time still nothing. Mauve had fallen to the ground in his convulsions of mirth. Mango was almost starting to get angry, Mauve could be so mean sometimes. She tried once more but the rock didn't move, instead lightning shot out of her fingertips missing the rock completely and hitting her adopted brother. Her eyes went wide. “Omygesh!”

“Whoah hohoho!” Mauve stood up slightly singed and his hair standing up at all angles, more so than usual. “That felt awesome! Told you you couldn't do it though.” He grinned as Mango punched him in the stomach. “Come on, let's go play medical droid.”

“Okay!” Mango skipped off after him completely forgetting the veractyl egg on the floor of the barn.

You completed some good points on http://www.laughinglion.org . I did a search on the theme and found the majority of persons will have the same opinion with your phorum. Best regards! with love, joyful escortes Paris

This is such a great resource that you are providing and you give it away for free. I enjoy seeing websites that understand the value of providing a prime resource for free. I truly loved reading your posts on www.laughinglion.org . Thanks! regards